russia is building one of its largest warships since the collapse of the USSR – the Ivan Rogov (Project 23900) amphibious assault ship – at the Zaliv shipyard in temporarily occupied Kerch, Crimea. But according to retired Ukrainian Navy Captain Andrii Ryzhenko, this ambitious project may become more of a burden than a battlefield asset.
Designed in St. Petersburg, the Ivan Rogov is being hailed by russian officials as the future flagship of the Black Sea Fleet. But Andrii Ryzhenko, who spoke on national television, raised serious doubts about the ship’s practicality in combat.
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At 220 meters long and 40 meters wide, with a displacement of 40,000 tons, the vessel surpasses the now-sunken Moskva cruiser by a factor of three to four. It is expected to carry up to 20 helicopters and 1,000 marines, essentially serving as a floating base for amphibious operations. Its completion, once targeted for 2025, is now delayed until at least 2028.
However, Andrii Ryzhenko questioned the strategic logic behind such a massive ship in a confined and increasingly hostile Black Sea.
“There are very few places where it can actually operate,” he said, noting that most coastal states in the region are now unfriendly toward russia.
The ship’s vulnerabilities are also a major concern. Its air defenses have been modestly reinforced with two Pantsir systems, but Andrii Ryzhenko pointed out that its protection is still vastly inferior to the Moskva ship, estimating its defensive capability as 1 to 30 by comparison. Given the rise of Ukrainian sea drone strikes, he warned, the Ivan Rogov may become a high-value, poorly protected target.
“This is gigantomania,” the expert concluded. “Despite its power, the ship’s sheer size will be a disadvantage in modern maritime warfare. Its vulnerability will only grow.”
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